The Ministry of National Defense (MND, Korean: 대한민국 국방부; Hanja: 大韓民國 國防部; RR: Daehanminguk Gukbangbu) is a department within the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and responsible for the military branches of South Korea. The Ministry of National Defense was established on 15 August 1948[2] and located at Yongsan-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul.[3] It was established following the foundation of ROK in 1948, superseding the Department of Internal Security [ko] (DIS, 국내경비부) in charge of Southern Korean armed forces under the United States Army Military Government (USAMGIK) during the Allied occupation era.[4] During Coup d'état of December Twelfth, ministry was occupied by  1st Airborne Special Forces Brigade commanded by Park Hee-do.[5] In 2018, the Ministry has agreed to respect the results from its Special Investigation Committee on Gwangju Uprising in which MD Helicopters MD 500 and UH-1H were used to fire on protesting citizens.[6] The Ministry of National Defense is allegedly active in military-level censorship such as book banning[7] and screening of mobile apps[8] within the military hierarchy. In April 2024, South Korean and the UK navies conducted joint patrols around the Korean Peninsula to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The mission aimed to intercept illicit shipping, following the Downing Street Accord signed by the leaders earlier. Canada and New Zealand also contributed to sanctions enforcement in the region. However, challenges arose, with Russia vetoing a resolution to renew the panel monitoring sanctions enforcement against North Korea.[9] ^ "Defense Buget". Ministry of National Defense. 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023. ^ "제1공수여단장! 박희도(朴熙道)". 영남신문 (in Korean). 10 February 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022. ^ "5 · 18 Special Committee "Confirmation of military helicopter shooting"". National Defense Daily. Retrieved 11 February 2018. ^ Kim, Eun-jung (28 October 2010). "Constitutional Court upholds ban on 'seditious books' in military". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 8 February 2012. ^ Bae, Ji-sook (7 February 2012). "Military to screen all mobile apps". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 8 February 2012. ^ Choi, David (11 April 2024). "UK, South Korea complete first joint patrol to intercept illicit North Korean trade". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024. This page was last edited on 28 April 2024, at 05:34 (UTC). additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.